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Family Force 5

Biography

There’s a delicate balance between the intertwining worlds of artistry, entertainment and humor, but for dance-derived alternative rockers Family Force 5, it’s an ecstatic equilibrium that remarkably illustrates all three elements. With tongue firmly planted in cheek, the Atlanta-based five-some are just as likely to get the party started as they are to escort audiences into an alternate reality. Even so, the band never compromises album creativity, while simultaneously hearkening back to the days of massive spectacles on tour.

The group’s sophomore release, Dance Or Die, oozes with over-the-top illustrations, charging out of the gate with funky rhythms, percolating club grooves, undeniably infectious hooks and instantaneous sing-a-longs. Imagine an inventive evolution of the band’s eye-opening debut, Business Up Front, Party in the Back, blended with Prince getting down at a Daft Punk concert where Michael Jackson busts out the moonwalk in the center of the dance floor.

“Listening to Family Force 5 is like lighting a cluster of firecrackers in your mouth,” offers guitarist Derek Mount (known to fans as Chap Stique), recommending a spin of Dance Or Die over that daredevil antic. “This album provides a connection and an escape, and it's guaranteed to make your booty shake and your head bang. It's greasy, slimy and soupy, yet still very slick and shiny at the same time.”

Indeed, the disc is replete with rippling rhythms, assaulting electronics and a raucous rock ‘n roll underpinning, but beyond these sonic elements, there’s also an all-encompassing futuristic vibe. From the sci-fi synth textures of “Fever” to the thrash-tinged robotic rocker “Radiator” to the ultra contagious title track, consider this project to be the musical version of Mad Max meets 2001: A Space Odyssey.

“The last record was a straight-up party, but we always said the second would be sweaty rock n’ roll music,” stresses front-man/guitarist Solomon Olds (Soul Glow Activatur), who co-produced the project with Joe Baldridge (Beck, Jewel). “The album title and imagery transport the listener into a dire life-or-death situation. Each song unites that urgency with a danceable beat, so get to steppin,' or you'll be extinct.”

Fans will have to fight to survive during the band’s live show, an unrelenting rush of delightfully uncontainable madness that has become Family Force 5’s bread and butter. “We encourage fans to dress up in costumes, whether it be a killer whale, a big chicken or a Skeletor outfit,“ urges Chap Stique. “Family Force 5 realizes that most people think rock n’ roll is about trying to be cool, but to us, there’s nothing cooler than when people let go and end up stealing the show by break dancing in helmets or body-slamming each other in Lucha Libre masks.”

Placing their lives and relationships at risk, the members have committed themselves to an arduous touring schedule, averaging 250 to 300 days on the road per year. The band is in the midst of a full-fledged summer run on the Vans Warped Tour, and will follow with a solo headlining trek, both equipped to supersede any prior concert experiences. In addition to members thrashing the stage wearing matching futuristic spacesuits, expect to see the Family Force 5000, a massive drum machine they personally invented that, at first glance, looks more like the next NASA launch computer than it does a musical instrument.

“It is the only fully-functional giant drum machine in the universe. It's a six-and-a-half-foot tall, 760-pound juggernaut of pads, knobs, and switches that inhales electricity and exhales lightning,” announces Soul Glow Activatur. “The Family Force 5000 started as a joke three years ago. Then we mentioned it to a friend, who happens to be a wizard in electronics, and he was able to bring our sci-fi idea to life. The fact that we have a huge, light-up, chunky machine on stage is pretty cool, and it adds to the robotic rock element of this season.”

Outside of their industrial explorations, members continue offering fans content in a variety of entertainment mediums as an additional means of appreciation for listeners’ unwavering support. Take, for instance, the steady stream of audio blogs, recently issued as the iTunes compilation Blingin’ Blogs Volume 1 (which finds the players offering a series of ghetto shout-outs and poking fun at pirates, to name a few). There’s also the ever-expanding online collection of The Really Real Show, a Spinal Tap-esque video library of stories from the road, spanning a broad comedic spectrum from bus brawls to single men's support groups.

Even with all the joyous insanity stemming from Family Force 5’s camp during the two years between projects (which also included first place in Yahoo’s “Who’s Next?,” several Energizer-sponsored extended slots on last summer’s Warped outing and countless reader’s choice awards), the eclectic quintet also persevered and endured through many adversities. Amidst tough financial times, the toil of the road, and label limbo, the band's grassroots fan base and determined work ethic fueled its highly storied course.

Armed with a do-it-yourself paradigm and a diversified entertainment enterprise, Family Force 5 is primed for intergalactic conquest. “'Dance or Die' is an unconventional arsenal of ultimate dance floor anthems,” declares Family Force 5000 player/keyboardist Nathan Currin (Nadaddy). “We're at war. Dancing is our weapon, and our party is ready to pull the trigger.”

Quick Bio

There’s a delicate balance between the intertwining worlds of artistry, entertainment and humor, but for dance-derived alternative rockers Family Force 5, it’s an ecstatic equilibrium that remarkably illustrates all three elements. With tongue firmly planted in cheek, the Atlanta-based five-some are just as likely to get the party started as they are to escort audiences into an alternate reality. Even so, the band never compromises album creativity, while simultaneously hearkening back to the days of massive spectacles on tour.